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Thomas Voeckler Escapes to Win Stage 4 of the 2011 Paris-Nice

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Thomas Voeckler Escapes to Win Stage 4 of the 2011 Paris-Nice

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler of Team Europcar won the fourth stage of the 2011 Paris-Nice race earlier today after escaping in an early breakaway and beating the other three breakaway riders in a sprint to the finish line in Belleville.

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler of Team Europcar won the fourth stage of the 2011 Paris-Nice race earlier today after escaping in an early breakaway and beating the other three breakaway riders in a sprint to the finish line in Belleville.

Voeckler clinched his first career stage win at the race and moved up to second overall after making his move about 300 yards from the finish line. He held off Remi Pauriol, Thomas De Gendt and Remi Di Gregorio.

Castelli-sponsored Team Garmin-Cervelo sprinter Heinrich Haussler won the peloton's sprint to the finish line.

De Gendt reclaimed the yellow jersey from overnight leader Matt Goss, who was in the chasing pack and dropped to fourth overall.

Voeckler was given a provisional winning time of 5 hours, 4 minutes, 20 seconds over the undulating 118-mile course from Creches-sur-Saone to Belleville.

Tomorrow's 119-mile stage 5 of the Paris-Nice 2011 from Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise to Vernoux-en-Vivarais will favor climbers such as Team RadioShack's Janez Brajkovic and Levi Leipheimer, Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins and Team Saxo Bank-SunGard's Chris Anker Sorensen.